Chayei Sara 5774 October 26, 2013 A Taste of Torah Stories For The Soul The Fountain of Youth By Rabbi Eli Mozes Marriage Reborn “Sarah’s life was one hundred The mishna (ibid.) states that the A man once came to Rabbi years, twenty years and seven age of five is when a child begins Chaim Kanievsky, shlita, one years.” (Breishis 23:1) The Medrash learning chumash (the Written of the preeminent sages of our (Breishis Rabbah 58:1) explains that Torah). If you ever had the privilege generation, who is renowned for the repetition of the word “years” of witnessing a child on the day his prescience and efficacious blessings, seeking advice and a is meant to indicate that at one he is to receive his first chumash, bracha. He was one of the many hundred years she was without sin you know it is truly something to like a twenty-year-old (for although people who visited the Torah giant one is responsible for one’s actions see. 3:00 AM the night before, the during the afternoon hours. The from bar/bat mitzvah, one is not father feels his son tugging on his man, in his 30s, explained that he punished for misdeeds until full pajamas, asking, “Is it time to go to was having a difficult time finding mental maturity is reached at age school yet?” When it’s finally time a shidduch (match), and he asked twenty); at age twenty she still had to wake up, the child has no interest Rabbi Kanievsky for a blessing. The the innocent beauty of a seven- in breakfast; all he wants is to get to rabbi spoke to the man a bit about year-old. Regarding the life of school. In school, the teacher calls his life, and responded, “Your zivug Avraham, we find a similar verse, up each child and presents him (partner) hasn’t been born yet. “One hundred years, seventy years with a brand new chumash. They Beracha v’hatzlacha (blessings and and five years” (Breishis 25:7), but then open their chumash and the success).” The man left in tears, the Medrash does not explain the teacher reads aloud the first word, despondent at his words. superfluous “years” in that case “Breishis, in the beginning” and (but see Rashi who does). Some months later, the man with a deafening roar the children returned to Rabbi Kanievsky, Perhaps we can offer an repeat after him , “Breishis, in the this time with a smile on his face, explanation for the verse by beginning.” The excitement of the announcing, “I am engaged.” Avraham based on a mishna in moment is explosive. Yet, as time Those present were somewhat Avos (5:25). “A seventy year old goes on, the enthusiasm fades; you surprised, wondering how he attains sayva (wise old age)… a generally won’t see middle-aged had accomplished this in the two hundred-year-old is regarded as men studying their chumash with months after hearing the rabbi’s if he were dead, passed away, and that fervor. previous words. The happy groom has ceased from the world.” One explained that his bride-to-be was a might have assumed that although The Torah contrasts the seventy convert who had converted a month Avraham had made major waves years with the five years to inform us earlier, thus explaining the great on the international scene, once he that when Avraham was seventy, he rabbi’s words, “Your zivug has not reached one hundred years of age, was still like a five-year-old learning been born,” for one who converts he had ceased to bear any relevance; chumash for the first time, with the to Judaism is considered like a new- the Torah therefore tells us that born baby. even at one hundred, he was like same excitement as if it was his very first day learning chumash. As our In this week’s parsha, we read seventy, which is an age when one is about how G-d guided Eliezer, assumed to have a keen insight on Sages teach, “Every day the Torah should be beloved to you as if today Avraham’s loyal servant, in his quest the world due to great experience for a match for Yitzchak. Every (see Kiddushin 33a). you received it from Sinai (Sifri, Devarim 6:5)”. match that occurs requires Divine guidance; sometimes that guidance is not clear, at other times, it is. Kollel Happenings Interpersonal Issues The Laws of Lashon Hara (Slander) ISSUES OF GAMBLING AT NOV. 6TH T4T When one is halachically permitted exactly what was done. One’s intent to publicize the misdeeds of one who must be for the purpose of encouraging Join Jay Greenwald, a is a deliberate transgressor, as discussed others to avoid being influenced by local entrepreneur and in previous weeks, he must make sure the transgressor, and/or to push the International Sales Director that the misdeeds are not exaggerated transgressor to abandon his sinful for Voltage Software, and in the slightest; one may only state path. Rabbi Mordechai Fleisher, Director of Community Education for the Kollel, as they explore the Torah’s view Ask the Rabbi on gambling. November 6th Is a Medium Rare? at the East Side Kosher Deli forbids these things because G-d wants from 12-1 pm. Cost: $20 Robert Liberman from Atlanta, Georgia us to conduct ourselves in this world RSVP [email protected]. wrote: according to natural laws. Dear Rabbi, Maimonides indicates otherwise. FATHERS & SONS Writing about occult practices such The Denver Community Kollel I recently saw a well-known medium, as communicating with the dead, invites all fathers and sons to James Van Praag, on the Larry King Maimonides calls them “falsehood and its Fathers & Sons program TV show. He is supposedly able to deception” used by idolaters to deceive at the DAT Minyan, 6825 E communicate with the dead; he took the masses and gain their loyalty. He Alameda Ave, on Sunday, several calls where he was able to relate writes that it’s wrong for the Jews, who October 27th. Shacharis very specific information about the are extremely wise and rational, to think begins at 8 am, followed deceased to the callers. As skeptical as I there’s any benefit in these things. by breakfast and fathers- am about these sort of things, I was very and-sons learning until 9:30, impressed by his ability; he seemed very This comment of Maimonides seems followed by a great story and genuine. My question is this: The Torah to contradict explicit passages in the a raffle for exciting prizes. specifically forbids communication with Talmud and Midrash that refer to For more info, email rmf@ the dead. But, the mere fact that it is departed spirits communicating with the denverkollel.org or call Rabbi Dovid Schwartzberg at 732- prohibited makes me wonder if it is, in living and revealing things about the past 779-1297. fact, possible. Otherwise, why would and future. Some commentators explain Hashem mention it? Thanks! that Maimonides is referring to an ideal person who lives totally according to the CHOSHEN MISHPAT KOLLEL Dear Robert Liberman, truths of the Torah. Such a person will rise above all these practices, and from The Torah governs all aspects Regarding your question, there’s an that exalted vantage point see that these of daily life, including apparent dispute between Maimonides practices have no reality. However, these financial law, known as [Rambam] and Nachmanides [Ramban]. forces of falsehood can indeed affect a Choshen Mishpat. Join the person who has not yet reached this level. Denver Community Kollel Nachmanides indicates that certain in studying for a text-based occult practices can be effective, but Sources: study session focusing on the practical laws of Choshen that they are forbidden by the Torah. Ramban, Deuteronomy 18:9-15 Mishpat at the Kollel’s new Hashem created a universe which follows Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Idolatry Southeast Torah Center, an ordered structure called “nature.” 11:16 located in Aish Denver Nachmanides writes that sorcery and the Tractate Berachot 18b building, 9550 E. Belleview occult “contradict” G-d’s will because Ave, on Tuesdays from 5:15- they act in opposition to the simple, plain Reprinted with permission from Ohr 6:15 pm. structure and order of nature. The Torah Somayach, Jerusalem, www.ohr.edu The Torah Weekly is made possible through a generous grant from the Harry H. Beren Foundation of Lakewood, NJ, in memory of Harry H. Beren, z”l. Denver Community Kollel: 1516 Xavier Street, Denver, CO 80204 Tel: 303-820-2855 Fax: 303-820-2806 Email: [email protected] Web: www.denverkollel.org To receive Torah Weekly by email, send an email to [email protected].